Olympiacos look to score their first UEFA Champions League (UCL) goal of the season as they travel to face five-time European champions Barcelona.
Match News and Current Form
Barcelona ended a run of back-to-back competitive defeats with a dramatic 2-1 win over Girona over the weekend, which should boost confidence ahead of their UCL return. Hansi Flick’s side lost out narrowly to reigning European champions PSG in their latest UCL home outing, but can take significant heart from the fact they’ve never lost multiple home games in any given European Cup/UCL group/league phase. A mere two defeats across their last 13 home matches in this group/league phase of the competition (W8, D3) would hint they’ll get back on track here and rediscover the kind of form which saw them go eight games unbeaten (W7, D1) in the league phase prior to that PSG defeat.
Still without a goal in the UCL league phase, Olympiacos face one of the toughest tests in football as they look to become the first-ever Greek side to win in Spain (D4, L17). Olympiacos have scored once across their last seven UCL fixtures, although that poor run has been offset by a sturdy backline which has kept clean sheets in seven of their last 11 European outings. Olympiacos did win away domestically over the weekend, yet José Luis Mendilibar’s side have lost their last 11 UCL group/league phase away games, conceding at least twice on each occasion.
Head-to-Head History
This represents the third encounter between these sides (BAR: W1, D1). Barcelona have won all seven of their home games against Greek opposition while Olympiacos have never won a European away game against a Spanish side, losing 14 of their 16 such trips (D2).
Hot Stats and Streaks
Ten of Barcelona’s 11 matches this season have produced over 2.5 goals.
Barcelona have scored 2+ goals in 11 of their last 13 UCL home games.
There were four or more yellow cards shown in 11 of Olympiacos’ last 12 European fixtures.
Only PSG and Real Madrid (15) had taken more corners than Olympiacos (14) after matchday two.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has scored four goals across his last five UCL home appearances, while attempting at least four shots in all five of those games. Olympiacos’ Ayoub El Kaabi has attempted the joint-highest number of shots amongst strikers without a goal in this season’s league phase (seven), while the Moroccan’s last eight European scoring appearances saw him net the opener.
Barcelona have a lengthy absentee list including the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo, while Olympiacos will be without Gabriel Strefezza.
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Betting Analysis
Despite absences in key positions for the hosts, a Barcelona win by a -1 handicap hasn’t lost its appeal.
Author: Matthew Billon